Meteorite dust reveals earliest magnetic field evidence in solar system

Scientists have identified what appears to be the earliest known evidence of a magnetic field in the infant solar system, a finding that could reshape understanding of planetary formation processes. The discovery emerged from detailed analyses of primitive meteorite fragments recovered from Antarctica, which exhibit remnant magnetization patterns consistent with exposure to a coherent magnetic field shortly after the solar nebula condensed. The research team, led by planetary physicists at the University of Arizona and collaborators from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, published the results in the journal *Nature Astronomy*.

The magnetized minerals, dated to roughly 4.56 billion years ago, predate previously documented solar magnetic signatures by several million years, suggesting that the nascent Sun generated a magnetic field earlier than models have predicted. This early magnetic activity may have influenced the aggregation of dust and gas, the migration of planetesimals, and the eventual architecture of the solar system. The study provides a new benchmark for testing astrophysical simulations of young stellar environments and offers a tangible record of the Sun’s magnetic history during its formative epoch.